Monster
by Zenith Aquilla
Summary: This is a tale of survival. A tale of choices, pain, and heartbreak. This is the tale of Elizabeth Beaton. When a mutant holocaust ravages America, neighbors disappear in the night. Anyone who questions it vanishes as well. With America dead set on total mutant annihilation, there's only one thing left for Elizabeth to do. Run. Rated T for violence and language.


"_And today, in response to the mutant terrorist Magneto's attack on New York, the Mutant Registration Act was finally passed."_

_ "I think we can all sleep a little sounder tonight Bill."_

_ "We sure can Judy, we sure can."_

Officer Brody Jenkins clicked off the TV, watching ABC7 flicker to nothingness. Still in uniform, he took a long swig of Samuel Adams, letting the pleasant buzz follow. Turning over on his ratty sofa, he faced his girlfriend.

"Hey, Barbra," she looked up to indulge whatever he had to say before going back to making dinner, "The Mutant Registration Act was passed."

"That's fine," she sighed wistfully, resuming chopping.

"What's wrong," he frowned, taking in her subtle body language.

"It's just we all know where this is going," she set her knife down, "As soon as they're all registered, they're at the government's will."

"Fucking Jew," he muttered.

"_Excuse _me?" she frowned, eyes hard.

"You heard me," he staggered to his feet, "Just because you're grandma survived the holocaust or some shit, you think you're better than _everyone _else."

"Brody, you're drunk," she stepped around the counter, trying to appease him.

"We're trying to keep people _safe_ Barbs," he slammed his bottle down on the table, letting the amber glass shatter, spilling shards onto the floor, "With freaks like that running around, and ignorant bigots defending them, _no _one is safe!"

"Did you just call me an ignorant bigot?" she turned her head, a look of disgust plastered across her face.

"If the shoe fits, babe," a sloppy smile formed on his lips.

"Get out."

"What?"

"GET OUT!" she cried, pointing at the door, "And don't come back until you're sober!"

"Bitch!" he hollered, pushing out the door, "You're just as bad as them! YOU HEAR ME? I'M TALKIN' TO YOU-!"

Barbra slammed the door, sliding the lock into place. With shaky steps she stepped over the shattered glass, returning to the kitchen. She raised the knife, but set it down as tears blurred her vision. Sliding down to the floor, she began to sob.

-X-

William Stryker strode through the plastic tunnel, followed closely by Officer Laurio. Pushing through the automated doors, they approached the mutant extremist that destroyed New York City.

"Hello colonel," Magneto raised an eyebrow, gazing at his tormentor as of the last month, "I would say it's nice to see you, but I'm afraid you know how it is."

Officer Laurio seized him by the neck, slamming his head into the table. Producing a small syringe, he shoved the needle into the old man's neck, pressing down with all the force he could muster.

"Done," Stryker turned to the Officer, "You can go."

"Now Mr. Lehnsherr," the Colonel began, "I'd like to have one final talk. About the mutation inducing machine you built. How exactly does it work?"

-X-

"Fucking bitch…" Officer Brody mumbled, trudging down the night blackened streets of New York. He squinted, his vision assaulted by a bright neon glow. Turning slightly, the 'Open' sign of Joe's Pub danced with a thousand tiny lights. He eagerly stepped forward, gripping the doorknob. But before he could step inside, his cellphone's default ringtone exploded through the silence. Fully expecting Barbra to be crawling back for mercy, he pressed the cold screen to his ear.

"What?" he spat.

"This is Colonel William Stryker."

"What do you wan-"

"You are being called in for a special training op at 10 Columbus Cir #11 New York, NY 10019," he realized it was a recording, "Come immediately. You will be given details upon arrival."

Forgetting it was a recording, Brody responded, "What is the special training op. Y'know, I'm on holiday. I don't have ta-"

The line fell dead before he could finish. Grumbling angrily to himself, he began trudging towards the Time Warner Police Center.

-X-

"What now," Officer Laurio asked, looking to his boss for instructions.

"We have everything we need," Stryker pushed through the plastic doors, glancing up at the Officer.

"Y'sir," Laurio grinned, striding back inside Magneto's cell. The colonel didn't flinch as the loud _BANG_ shook the prison, or even as Magneto's body slumped onto the ground.

-X-

Secretary Veronica Mars looked around suspiciously, before hurrying into the level three elevator of the Time Warner Police Center. Descending down into the restricted section, she stepped into the research level and onto Colonel Stryker's private computer. Quickly swiping in the password, she immediately located the file she wanted.

Double clicking on Mutant Registration Act, she started flicking through documents. Placing one hand over her mouth she read on in shocked silence the government's plans for mutant kind.

-X-

Brody lurched into the Time Warner Police Center.

"Where do I go?" he leaned on the front desk, unabashedly admiring Veronica Mars's form.

"Are you here for the training op?" she questioned, trying to ignore his drunken boldness.

"Yeah."

"Training Room 108," she went back to her typing.

"Thank you ma'am," he tipped his hat sarcastically, jogging to the elevator. Punching in floor 2, he waited patiently for the door to _ding _open. He wasn't prepared for what he saw.

Huge lines of what had to be every cop in the city stretched around the gymnasium, each leading to a folding chair and a small swarm of men and women in lab coats.

"DAVE!" Brody found a familiar face, "Dave! Hey Dave, what's goin' on around here?"

"Vaccinations," he nodded to the nearest chair, where an officer was being injected with a dull red fluid.

"Vaccinations? Vaccinations for what?" he frowned at the ensemble.

"Mutants are makin' a move. Y'see, there's this one called Venom, and he makes poison, right? Rumor hasn't their attackin' the water. Humans'll be dead in a couple 'o weeks!" he waved his arms dramatically, "This stuff? This stuff'll protect us."

Satisfied, Brody nodded, taking his place in line.

-X-

"Colonel?" Veronica tentatively knocked on his office door.

"Come in Ms. Mars," he beckoned inside.

"I have a question," she bit her lip, "Involving the Mutant Registration Plans."

"Well right now we're working on vaccinations," he leaned back, "The mutants aim to attack our immune system first. As usual, we're one step ahead."

"That's not what the Mutant Registration file said," she adjusted her cat eye glasses, "It was actually very disturbing…"

"Which part did you find disturbing?" he casually stood up, walking towards her, "Was it that the vaccination doesn't in fact protect against a fictional mutant, or that it actually induces mutation itself?"

"Actually," she stammered, "It was that the vaccination induces a mind control and gives you complete control over the entirety of the city's police officers."

"Not the city, Ms. Darkhölme, the country," a smile played on his lips, "This 'vaccination' is mandatory for every officer in America as of tomorrow."

"Ms. Darkhölme? I'm afraid I don't-"

"Oh, I forgot. You prefer 'Mystique'. My bad," he turned around, apparently rifling through papers.

"It's sick!" She dropped her guise, "So, what? You have an army of super soldiers that you have completely brainwashed. Then what?"

"Not completely, you see, you have to activate it," he tapped his head in example, "They can live their normal civilian lives until we need them."

"Need them? Need them for what?" she folded her arms agitatedly over her chest, "You're planning a mutant holocaust with no fair warning."

"No fair warning? What an _unfair_ judgment."

"How so, Colonel?"

"When the vaccinated officer is under my control, their eyes turn red. Like the serum," he rose a syringe from his desk into the light, letting its scarlet hue gleam.

"But you have no intention of letting mutant kind know that," she accused, "Or anyone for that matter."

"You know Ms. Darkhölme, I took an oath, to protect the American people," he opened a drawer, rifling through it.

"Yes sir, and let me say you're doing a smashing job with-"

Colonel Stryker whipped around, firing his Colt M1911 pistol at her head. _He sure move fast for such a big guy_ she thought just before the bullet tore through her skull. As her body hit the ground her skin rippled, blue flesh taking place over Veronica Mars's body.

Glancing down at the corpse he picked up his walky talky, "_Clean up in my office. NOW!_"

-X-

_Ding Dong_

"Mmmm," Bets flipped over onto her stomach, glancing at her door.

_DING DONG!_

"FINE!" she moaned, slipping a fluffy purple robe over her black sleep gown. Heaving to her feet, she padded out of her room and to the front door, "What?" she drowsily pushed it open.

"Are you Elizabeth Beaton?" a woman in a sharp black suit and impeccable red lipstick stood on her doorstep.

"Do I know you?"

"No, but we know you. Five foot six, one hundred and twenty five pounds, sixteen years of age, blonde, need I go on?" she raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

"No, but the last one was kind of a giveaway," Elizabeth sighed, "What do you want?"

"I need you to come with me Ms. Beaton," she turned to walk away, as if automatically assuming her cooperation.

"Why?"

"You need to register your mutation," she called over her shoulder, opening the police car she arrived in's back door, "You may tell your guardians where you are going."

"I-I'd actually rather not," Elizabeth joined the women, slipping into the backseat.

"They don't know," a look of disapproval flitted across the agent's face, "No matter," she slammed the door, sliding into the vehicle. And with that, they disappeared into the night.

**So, there's the prologue. The story will center around Elizabeth Beaton fighting for survival during the mutant holocaust. It's very unlikely I'll bring any of the officers or Veronica Mars back. **

**Other characters will appear throughout the chapters, and if you have one you particularly want you can leave it in the reviews or PM it to me. I'll even add OC's if you really want.**

**I don't have a solid plot outline yet so if you have any ideas, you can again PM me or leave it in the reviews.**

**If you like my writing and are looking for X-Men Fanfics, I have two others, both centering around OCs. Unstoppable is completed, and Runaways is not. You can find them under my name or just searching them. Until next chapter,**

**Zenith Aquilla**


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